Structural determination of a short-lived excited iron(II) complex by picosecond x-ray absorption spectroscopy

Structural changes of the iron(II)-tris-bipyridine ([Fen(II)(bpy)(3)](2+)) complex induced by ultrashort pulse excitation and population of its short-lived (<= 0.6 ns) quintet high spin state have been detected by picosecond x-ray absorption spectroscopy. The structural relaxation from the high spin to the low spin state was followed over the entire lifetime of the excited state. A combined analysis of the x-ray absorption near-edge structure and extended x-ray-absorption fine structure spectroscopy features delivers an Fe-N bond elongation of 0.2 angstrom in the quintet state compared to the singlet ground state.